Text Size

PI SCOOPLET ... PATTON BOGGS'S FRILLICI TO MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Vince Frillici is exiting Patton Boggs to become managing director at Mercury Public Affairs, PI has learned. Frillici is set to come on board in early March after serving as a senior policy adviser at Patton Boggs, working in the firm's financial services public policy group since 2008. Prior to coming on board at the law firm, Frillici worked as national finance director for then-Sen.Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and has also held positions on the gubernatorial campaign of former Gov. Buddy MacKay and worked as finance director of the New Democratic Network. His lobbying portfolio has included: The Real Estate Services Providers Council, Association of Institutional Investors, Lloyd's of London and the Wholesale Market Brokers Association — Americas, among others.

FIRST IN PI ... DENNY MILLER ALUMNI LAUNCH CAPITOL STRATEGIES: Shay Hancock and Wally Burnett, formerly of Denny Miller Associates, have hung a shingle with former Miller colleagues Tim Lovain, Chris Miller and Sandy Mathiesen. The new firm, Capitol Strategies, announced its launch Monday, and will focus on defense, transportation and resources issues. It’s registered 18 clients since opening shop in January 2014. Denny Miller Associates shut its doors after 30 years this past December, but Miller’s former team is retaining his Pacific-Northwest focus and has retained many of the firm’s old clients. Capitol Strategies, located in Chinatown above the old Buddha Bar, boasts a bipartisan and bicameral staff. Hancock tells PI his clients appreciate the diversity of perspectives their unique team brings to the table. “It’s been a great first few months,” Hancock tells PI. “We’ve been focusing on the Pacific Northwest, and everyone made a trip out there to talk with former clients and show them the new team.”

GOOD MONDAY AFTERNOON where it’s been 25 years since United Airlines Flight 811 experienced a cargo door failure in flight — resulting in a mid-air decompression and the death of several passengers. The plane was able to successfully land 14 minutes after the decompression. Send your lobbying news, gossip, tips and scoops to btau@politico.com. Andrea is adrusch@politico.com. And keep up with PI on Twitter by following @ByronTau or @PoliticoPI.

ITI HUNTING AROUND HOFFMAN REPLACEMENT: The Information Technology Industry Council is hunting around for a new vice president of government affairs, according to a job description circulating around town. The trade association is looking for 15-plus years of government relations experience. “The vice president, government affairs will manage a team of approximately five professionals who have a history of strong, sustained performance and must therefore possess superior leadership and management skills. The successful candidate will also contribute to ITI’s public policy initiatives to advance its leading position in the marketplace,” the description says. ITI’s current government relations head, Robert Hoffman, recently announced he’s leaving the trade association for Motorola. Other big open jobs in the tech lobbying world are CEO of Semiconductor Industry Association, the opening as Apple’s top lobbyist and the No. 2 job at TechNet.

POLSINELLI INKS TWO: The National Association of Real Estate Brokers and Wayne State University have both signed Anita Estell of Polsinelli to lobby on their behalf. For the Real Estate Brokers, Estell will lobby on financial services and banking issues, and for Wayne State, she’ll facilitate a federal advocacy plan. The registrations mark 10 new clients for the firm in 2014. Seven of the new clients name former Rep. Alan Wheat, Julie Shroyer and Rachel Stevenson, as lobbyists. The three joined the firm in September of 2013, and many of the clients followed them from the previous firm Wheat Government Relations.

ERIN SHAW JUMPS TO STUTZMAN: Erin Shaw has taken a new job as vice president at Stutzman Public Affairs. Shaw previously worked at Michelle Rhee’s education advocacy group Students First, where she handled communications. She’s worked in both Republican and Democratic politics. She worked as California state Sen. Sam Blakeslee’s communications director and also worked as communications director for former California Lieutenant Gov. Abel Maldonado. She worked in communications roles for the administrations of California Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis.

GR FORUM HOSTS MATUSIAK: The Government Relations Leadership Forum will hold its first luncheon of the year Monday. The event will feature Ari Matusiak, special assistant to the president and director of private sector engagement. About 45 members are expected to attend.

THERE MUST BE 50 WAYS TO PLEASE YOUR DONORS: A PI tipster forwards an invite to a Sting and Paul Simon concert fundraiser with Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.). The March 13 show at D.C.’s Verizon Center costs $1,500 for PACs or $750 to attend with the Washington Democrat.

GAMA HIRES OSZAKIEWSKI: The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has hired Brian Oszakiewski to be the association’s director of government affairs. Oszakiewski comes to GAMA from the office of Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), where he most recently served as legislative director. “Brian is exceptionally well-versed in issues important to the general aviation industry, including certification, unleaded avgas, NextGen, and FAA regulatory challenges,” GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said.

WHAT 'HOUSE OF CARDS' GETS WRONG ABOUT MONEY IN POLITICS: Most pieces on the realism of “House of Cards” focus on how over the top it is. But when it comes to depicting money in politics, the show is actually too cautious. The Netflix hit drama gets two thumbs down in accurately depicting how current campaign finance law allows money to move. A major plot point in the second season involves a fanciful foreign conspiracy to funnel Chinese money into U.S. elections through a U.S.-based casino operator on behalf of a wealthy industrialist. The newly installed Democratic Vice President Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, gets wind of the spending and dispatches a top lieutenant to stop the tide of cash. The spending turns out to be the work of energy magnate Raymond Tusk. Byron has more (with some spoilers) on money in politics and "House of Cards": http://politi.co/1k5pkjX

ELSEWHERE IN THE INFLUENCE WORD:

SOROS GROUP TRIPLES DOWN: “[George] Soros and his generous support of liberal causes, through his philanthropy and his personal political spending, have long been the subject of conservative ire. But, until now, he hasn’t done much on the formal lobbying front, and the group’s huge increase in reported spending — it hit $11 million in 2013, more than triple the $3.25 million it spent the previous year — has drawn remarkably little notice.” Via WaPo’s Holly Yeager: http://wapo.st/1fxLYOw

CHAMBER SPENDS $312K ON MCCONNELL: Roll Call’s Kent Cooper reports: In an FEC report Friday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported spending $312,650 on independent groups supporting Mitch McConnell’s 2014 reelection campaign. It’s way more than its PAC could give in campaign contributions, and includes some pricey online ads. http://bit.ly/1cI3luX